‘A matter of days,’ says Moily on Rahul Gandhi taking over as Congress president

It is not clear whether the change will happen before or after the Gujarat elections next month.

indiaUpdated: Nov 10, 2017 17:48 IST

Press Trust of India Press Trust of India, Hyderabad

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi a crowd of supporters at an election rally in Nagrota Bagwan around 30 KM from Dharamsala on November 6.(Shyam Sharma / HT File Photo)

It’s a matter of days before Rahul Gandhi takes over as Congress president, and the decision to appoint to him to the post is unanimous, senior party leader M Veerappa Moily has said.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the post -- taking over from his mother Sonia Gandhi -- has long been the subject of intense speculation

“He will take over. The decision is, of course, unanimous. He will take over...(it’s) a matter of days,” Moily said.

It is not clear whether the change will happen before or after the Gujarat elections next month.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi will assume charge as party president after the Gujarat elections, Moily told PTI: “He will take over. The decision is, of course, unanimous. He will take over...(it’s) a matter of days.”

The former Union minister and Karnataka chief minister said the prospects of his party in Gujarat are “looking up very well”.

The poll outcome, he added, will hit the BJP like a “hurricane”.

“There is a total trust deficit between the people of Gujarat and the government of Gujarat, and also people of Gujarat and Central government and more particularly the prime minister. That (the result) is going to hit them back as a hurricane,” Moily claimed.

He said the strategy adopted by the Congress under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership in poll-bound Gujarat is the model for strengthening the party’s base in the country.

“What we are doing in Gujarat, that’s the model we may have to replay in every state. What Rahul Gandhi has been doing...impressive and aggressive campaigning and raising right voices of people and also the response he got from people, this is the only answer ultimately,” Moily said.

According to Moily, galvanising the party’s cadre is the first step for the Congress to come back in any state.